Cold Mountain Selected as 2016 One Book, One Philadelphia Featured Read

Cold Mountain Selected as 2016 One Book, One Philadelphia Featured Read

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Published: January 19, 2016

Holy Family University will be participating in One Book, One Philadelphia for the second year in a row. The reading event is designed by the Free Library of Philadelphia to “promote reading, literacy, and libraries, and to encourage the entire greater Philadelphia area to come together through reading and discussing a single book.”

Cold Mountain, written by Charles Frazier, was selected as the featured book. Three complimentary titles, The Civil War, by Geoffrey Ward with Ric Burns and Ken Burns; Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup; and Sounder by William H. Armstrong have also been chosen. Cold Mountain will debut on the East Coast with Opera Philadelphia at the Academy of Music on February 5.

According to the Free Library of Philadelphia’s website, “Coinciding with the East Coast premiere of the opera Cold Mountain, composed by Jennifer Higdon and Gene Scheer, the choice of the novel Cold Mountain gives One Book, One Philadelphia a unique opportunity to tie in with another major cultural event. Additionally, our choice provides the inspiration to focus on the Civil War, with all its complexities and ramifications.”

Holy Family University participated in One Book, One Philadelphia last year, reading titles such as Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, Rodzina by Karen Cushman, and Locomotive by Brian Floca.

“The point of the program is to bring the Holy Family and Philadelphia communities together through reading, discussing, and participating in programs around a selected theme,” said Kathy Kindness, Assistant Director of Library Services.

Individuals interested in reading the selections can visit the Philadelphia campus library to rent a copy. Classroom sets of the books will also be available. Additionally, a display at the Philadelphia campus and Newtown site will include materials on incorporating topics about slavery and the Civil War into the classroom.

There will be two presentations by Paula Gidjunis ’71, a faculty member at Manor College, at the main campus library. The first, titled “African Americans During the Civil War: The Road to Freedom,” will be held on Wednesday, February 17, from 1:00 pm – 1:50 pm. The second, titled “Women in the Civil War: From the Home Front to the Battlefield,” will take place on Wednesday, March 16, from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Both programs are open to the public.

“Participating in the One Book program is important for a number of reasons,” Kindness said. “First, it connects Holy Family University with the broader intellectual and literary community in Philadelphia. We join ranks with the Free Library branches, Temple University, Drexel University, and area cultural institutions to promote literacy on and off campus. Second, the book titles and programming provide opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff to engage and connect with others in thoughtful ways that go beyond the classroom. Finally, One Book offers us multiple copies of ‘good reads’ for those who just want to kick back on a cold winter's night and ‘walk in another's shoes’ for awhile.”

For more information about Cold Mountain at the Academy of Music, click here.